It’s Time to Change Your Tires: Three Things to Keep in Mind

Posted on October 14, 2018 in Auto Repair

As many of you know, staying aware of your tires health is an important part of car ownership. Staying on top of your tires well being will ensure that you get the most out of your vehicle in terms of its life cycle and fuel efficiency. Though over time, even basic tire maintenance won’t be enough to keep the tire healthy. Sometimes it’s best to replace the tire altogether.

Think you need to replace your tires but unsure of what to look for? If so, check out Murray Automotive’s three signs for when it’s time to completely change your tires.

Check Your Tread

Tread is an important part of your tire’s health. The lower the depth, the more dangerous it is to keep your tire. Having worn treads can be extremely dangerous in adverse weather conditions like rain or snow. You can be putting yourself in danger by driving with worn tire treads.

So, how can you track your tire’s tread depth? By having our good friend and President of the United States George Washington help us (not in the way you’d initially imagine, unfortunately). Using a quarter, place it head first into the middle, inner, and outer treads of your tire. If any part of the head of our legendary founding father shows, that means it’s time to switch out your tires.

How Old Are You?

Despite how well you take care of your tire, at a certain age it’s probably best to say goodbye and replace them. Check your vehicle manufacturers guide or see what the tire manufacturers have to say. You’ll usually expect to change your tires every 6-10 years depending on who you reference.*

*You may need to replace them sooner depending on care and driving style

Look For Damage

Make sure to thoroughly inspect your car for any damages or abnormalities. Time and time again, we’ve seen owners bring their tires in for a rotation or alignment only for us to notice that they’ve had multiple nails in their wheel! Other signs to look for include: cracks on the sidewall (look for distinct grooves) and bulges/blisters (can cause a tire blow out if you’re not proactive!).